Bottle closure and liquid dropper



Feb. 2, 1932. vT. J. DYKEMA BOTTLE CLOSURE AND LIQUID DROPPER Filed Feb.'7, 1931 INVENTOR WITNESSES Patented Feb. '2, 1932 UNITED STATES a masiaPATENT OFFICE TUNIS J. DYKE'MA, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA Applicationled February 7, 1931.

These being separate from the container with whose liquid content theyare to be used, they may be misplaced readily, become contaminated, orbe broken. For lthese and other reasons it has been proposed to combinesuch droppers with the container closures. The devices available forthis purpose prior to my invention, however, have been subject tovarious disadvantages which have militated against their wide use. Forexample, in some forms of those devices the dropper was associated witha rubber stopper. Such'stoppers are hard to manipulate.

Also, some liquids and medicaments may cause loosening of the stopperand impairing the seal, or making it difficult or impossible to replaceit after being removed from the bottle. Other forms suggested made useof more or less complicated constructions, and were thus undesirable.For example, some of them made use of a cap member which had to beremoved to expose the dropper bulb, and for this reason they wereimpractical and inconvenient. Such cap members are 'made in most casesfrom cork, metal, or rubber, and in many cases these materials have aninjurious effect on certain liquids and medicaments, and for this reasonthey are undesirable.

It is among the objects of this invention,`

to provide a combined stopper and dropper unit which is of simple,sturdy and inexpensive construction, eiciently seals the container, inwhich the dropper and closure are removed as a unit by a singlemanipulation, and which minimizes or overcomes many of thedisadvantagesof the prior art structures. Other objects and advantageswill appear hereinafter.

lThe preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. l is a cross section of a bottle showing thestopper-dropper in place; Figs. 2 and 3 are cross sections through thecap and bulb members, showing details of construction.

Serial N o. 514,167.

The device provided bv this invention com- I prises a cap member adaptedto engage the neck of a container, and a dropper member having a portionadapted to form the sole seal for the container, thus eliminating theuse of Stoppers having a portion going inside of the neck of thecontainer. These parts are associated to act in unitary fashion so faras their application to or removal from the container is concerned.

Referring to the drawings, the dropper member comprises in elastic bub1, provided at one end with the usual opening 2 which is surrounded byan outwardly extending flange 3. A groove 4 formed peripherally in theinner annular surface 4a of flange 3 receives and engages a bead 5formed on the upper end of` a tubular dropper bod member 6. This bodymember is prefera ly made from glass, and it may assume any of thecustomary forms used for droppers.

The cap member comprises a downwardly extending skirt 7 adapted toengage neck 8 of a container 9, and an inwardly extending liange 10which forms a top having an aperture 11. The cap is formed of rigidmaterial, for example glass or molded plastic, and is provided withthreads 12 which cooperate with complementary threads 13 formed on neck8. Engagement of the neck by the cap may be e'ected other than by thescrew threads shown, various means being available for this purpose. y

The stopper-dropper is assembled for use by forcing bulb 1 upwardlythrough aperture 11 to seat flange 3 within the cap against top 10.Dropper body 6 being connected to bulb 1, as shown in Figs. .1 and 3,there is provided a unitary structure in which the bulb extends upwardlythrough, and the dropper body downwardly from, the cap.

Flange 3 is of such size as to make a tight vfrictionfal fit within thecap, and it lies between top flange 10 and the lip of neck 8 when thestopper-dropper is applied to the container. Upon screwing the cap downupon the neck flange 3 is pressed tightly against the neck lip and sealsthe container against leakage. As shown in Fig. lthis flange forms thesole seal for the container,

ase-asia but because of the construction eiiicient sealing is assured.

llt will be seen that as thus assembled and used there is provided acombined stopperdropper which is applied, removed, and used as a unit.When the cap is unscrewed and lifted from the container it carries thedropper, which'is then ready for immediate use, the bulb being exposedand always ready for sucking up and dropping liquid in the usual manner.The cap and dropper are always together which eliminates theinconveniences of separate droppers. Also, the simplicity ofconstruction and use, and the eciency of the stopper-dropper provided bythis invention substantially overcome the disadvantages of thoseavailable heretofore. Other advantages are that the invention eliminatesthe use of corks and the labor of applying them. An important feature isthat it makes possible the use of smaller containers with a longerglass, so that the user can drain the contents more thoroughly andeasily than in the case of containers generally used with separatedroppers.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, l have explained theprinciple and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated anddescribed what l now consider to represent its best embodiment. However,ldesire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyillustrated and described.

l claim: i

1. rlhe combination with a liquid container having a neck, of a`combined closure `and dropper associated removably as a unit with saidneck and comprising a cap member havin a downwardly extendingneck-engaging skirt and a top ange extending inwardly from said skirt toform an apertured top, a dropper member comprising an` elastic bulbhaving an outwardly extending sealing liange surrounding its lower openend, said sealing flangehaving a peripherally formed groove in itsrinner annular surface,

I ly extending tubular dropper body provided with a bead on its upperend engaging said groove, said bulb passing upwardly through theaperture in said cap with its sealing; flange surrounded by said skirtand engaging l the top of said cap to be rictionally engaged by saidcap, and said flange forming with the lip' of said neck the sole sealfor the container when the neck is engaged by the cap.

2. The combination with a liquid container having a neck, of a combinedclosure and dropper associated removably as a unit with said neck andcomprising a cap member having a downwardly. extending neck-engagingskirt and a top flange extending inwardly from said skirt to form anapertured top, a dropper member comprising an elastic bulbhavinganoutwardlyextending sealing flange and a downward-- surroundingits open lower end, and downvided with a groove and the other of said fends being provided with a ange interengaging said groove, said bulbpassing upwardly through the aperture in said cap with the sealing angesurrounded by said skirt and engaging the top of said cap to befrictionally engaged by said cap, and said :flange forming with the lipof said neck the sole seal for the container when the neck is engaged bythe cap.

3. A combined bottle closure and liquid dropper comprising a rigid caphaving a central opening in it and adapted to fit over and form a coverfor the top of a bottle and a Vliquid dropper consisting of an elasticbulb having a dropper tube engaged in an open neck forming the bottom ofthe bulb, said Vbulb being extended upwardly through the opening in saidcap with the dropper tube projecting therebelow and the body of the bulbfrictionally engaging the cap whereby adapting the dropper to move withthe cap as a unit.

Ll. A combined bottle closure and liquid dropper comprising a rigid caphaving a central opening in its top and a depending skirt on it adaptingit to it'over and form a cover for the top of abottle, and a-liquiddropper consisting of an-elastic bulb having a dropper tube engaged inan open neck forming the lower end of the bulb, said bulb being extendedupwardly through the opening in the cap with the dropper tube projectingtherebelow, said neck portion of the bulb having a fiange formedintegral therewith which is adapted to enhance the engagement betweenthe dropper tube and the bulb and is also adapted to frictionally engagethe skirt of the cap in such a way as to cause the cap and dropper tomove as a unit when the cap. is removed from the bottle and also forms asealing gasket which is forced against the top of the bottle by the cawhen the latter is forced thereover.

n testimony whereof, I sign my name.

TUNIS J. DYKEMA.

